1. Field
This invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more specifically to heat spreaders in semiconductor device assemblies.
2. Related Art
To improve space efficiency, some semiconductor, or microelectronic, packages include one or more stacks of two or more integrated circuit die, to allow more circuitry to be packaged within a smaller area. However, a stack of dies decreases an amount of area that is available for heat dissipation from the dies.
A layout of most integrated circuits is optimized for circuit efficiency, and the layout may result in localized areas of a die that generate higher temperatures than other areas of the die. A heat spreader distributes heat from warmer area(s) of a die to cooler area(s) of the die, and may also accomplish heat dissipation from the die. To facilitate distribution and dissipation of heat, a heat spreader typically has high thermal conductivity. Many known heat spreaders also have high electrical conductivity.
A heat spreader may be placed between, and in thermal contact with, two or more die. This allows a single heat spreader to distribute heat from warmer area(s) to cooler area(s) of the two or more die. A heat spreader may be thermally coupled to a heat sink that is located outside a microelectronic device. The heat sink, in combination with the heat spreader, facilitates dissipation of heat from inside the microelectronic package to outside the microelectronic package.